How to Sew a Four-Hole Button by Hand | Easy Button Repair for Beginners 🪡, by Iam Sewing Co on YouTube. 3 min 11 s.
- Video length
- 3 min 11 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Cut about 60 cm (24 inches) of thread and pass it through the needle. Knot the two ends together so you are sewing with doubled thread for strength.
Find the old stitch marks or the buttonhole on the other side of the fabric. Line the button up there, right side up, so the four holes sit in a square.
Push the needle up from the back of the fabric through one hole, and pull until the knot sits flat against the back.
Lay a toothpick across the top of the button between the holes. This keeps a small gap so the button will sit over thick fabric later.
Push the needle down through the hole diagonally opposite, then back up through the next hole, making an X. Pull each stitch snug but not tight.
Repeat that X three or four times, then sew the other pair of holes the same way, either as a second X or as two parallel lines.
Bring the needle to the back of the fabric and pull the toothpick out. Wrap the thread three or four times around the stitches under the button to build a short shank.
Push the needle back through to the underside, make two small stitches in the fabric to lock the thread, and snip it off close to the knot.
Tips and common mistakes
Use doubled thread on jeans, coats and bags, and single thread on light shirting.
Do not pull the stitches tight against the fabric or the button will not fit through the buttonhole.
Match the thread to the button colour, or pick a close match to the fabric if you prefer it hidden.
Sew through a small piece of interfacing or extra fabric on the back if the cloth around the hole has torn.
Questions
Do I have to sew an X shape?
No. Two parallel lines or a square pattern also hold a four-hole button securely. Pick one and repeat it three or four times so the button sits flat.
What if the button has a shank instead of holes on the face?
Sew through the loop under the button instead of the face. Come up through the fabric, pass through the shank, and go back down, repeating four or five times.
How much thread should I use?
About 60 cm (24 inches) doubled is plenty for one button. Longer thread tangles easily, so cut a fresh length if it starts to knot.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
